Theresa May accused of ‘cover up’ over borders report
Home Secretary Theresa May is accused of a “cover-up” after she used legal powers to redact parts of a critical report into Britain’s cross-Channel border controls.
The report from the official immigration watchdog highlighted concerns over the failure to take fingerprints of illegal immigrants in France.
However 15 sections of the report into border controls between France and the UK have been censored by the home secretary, including passages with information about staff shortages at border checkpoints.
National security concerns were cited as the reason for keeping parts of the report by Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration John Vine secret. But politicians and campaigners have accused Mrs May of hiding “her own failings”.
Chris Bryant, shadow immigration minister, said: “Yet again the government refuses to be straight with the British people about immigration and our borders…What possible reason can there be for redacting elements of a report by a highly-respected independent inspector?”
He added: “This is a cover-up to hide her own failings.”
Fingerprinting
In unredacted sections of the report, Mr Vine warns that thousands of illegal immigrants attempting to sneak into the UK through France have not been fingerprinted by border officials for nearly four years.
It also reveals that Border Force – the Home Office law enforcement wing stationed at ports and airports – is enforcing fines way below the maximum of £4,000 per illegal immigrant, on drivers and firms guilty of bringing in illegal immigrants.
What possible reason can there be for redacting elements of a report by a highly-respected independent inspector? – Chris Bryant, Labour
Mr Vine also said that border staff remain concerned over the effect of the so-called “Lille loophole”, which effectively exempts some passengers who travel to Britain via Lille, in France, on Eurostar trains boarded in Brussels, Belgium, from UK Border Force immigration checks.
However this section is also among those partly-redacted by the Home Secretary.
‘Lille Loophole’ redactions
Keith Vaz, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: “I am concerned that the Home Secretary has decided to redact part of the findings related to the ‘Lille Loophole’, despite John Vine finding that some were still able to reach Britain using this method.
“The committee has been assured in the past that the loophole would be closed. The withholding of information prevents us from properly holding the Border Force to account.”
Fingerprinting and photographing immigrants caught hiding in the backs of lorries and other vehicles could prove crucial in testing the quality of their asylum claims if they arrive in the UK in subsequent attempts, Mr Vine said.
The chief inspector said there was “considerable room for improvement in complying with guidance and procedures”.
In the 12-month period from September 2011 to August 2012, more than 8,000 illegal immigrants were caught and stopped from entering the UK in vehicles and other containers at juxtaposed controls at Calais, Coquelles and Dunkirk. And in January 2010, border officials stopped fingerprinting and photographing illegal immigrants caught in at Calais due to problems with the availability of cells to hold them in. This was also later stopped at Coquelles.
A Home Office spokesman said: “In accordance with the UK Borders Act 2007 the home secretary, in consultation with the independent chief inspector, is required to redact any material which, if published, would be prejudicial to the interests of national security.
“These take the form of visible redactions in the report laid before parliament.”